Fragments High Seas
by Jaz22
Summary: Tony's insecurities surface when he's thrown face to face with his prototype.
1. Chapter 1

_"And what was before Philly? I forgot. Pittsburgh?" (Kate)_

_"Peoria. And it doesn't matter how long. All that matters now is that I'm here. At NCIS." (Tony)_

**Fragments: Two Years**

By Jaz

'_High Seas' Episode Summary: Gibbs' former Senior Field Agent, Stan Burley, calls up his old boss to ask for help solving a mysterious Meth overdose of a crew member aboard the carrier where he's currently serving as Agent Afloat. Much ado was made regarding Tony's propensity for switching jobs at the two-year mark. Given that he celebrated that particular anniversary in the previous episode, I thought it odd that Gibbs, Abby and Ducky all seemed to go out of their way to extol the virtues of Tony's predecessor._

_If you ask me, somebody's got some 'splainin to do._

_A/N: Standard disclaimers. Not my characters, and no profit but my own evil glee. Story is two chapters and an epilogue, and will be posted as soon as I can get around to it. It is a holiday weekend, after all.  
_

~0~

"But Gibbs . . ." Abby's teeth worked nervously at the hangnail on her thumb as she stared across her lab table into the blue eyes of the man she was pretty sure she'd do anything for.

Gibbs heaved an impatient sigh. "You got something to say, Abs?" he pressed, hoping the answer was 'no'.

"It's just, are you sure this is a good idea? You know how he gets." She looked up at him from under dark lashes, her worry etched clearly in her gaze.

"I explained it to you already. Burley called me this morning, so we'll be heading out there later today. The timing is right for what I need to do." He pulled out a bigger gun. "Ducky's already on board."

Abby narrowed her eyes at this information, surprised that Ducky would agree to what seemed to her to be an unnecessary and possibly cruel plan. She dug her figurative heels in a little harder.

Gibbs noticed the stubborn look cross her face, and worked at hiding his smile. The look was one he'd seen often on the face of his daughter, who had most definitely inherited her stubborn streak not only from her father, but her mother as well – after all, Shannon's hair hadn't been red by accident. He raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question, awaiting the lab tech's capitulation.

Abby pouted. "I don't wanna."

"Duly noted, Abs. But will you anyway?" he found himself smoothly wheedling, much the same way he'd done with Kelly.

She hesitated, and he was afraid he was losing ground with her. Not for the first time, he questioned the wisdom of his plan. Maybe she was right, maybe it was a bad idea. But he pushed aside the doubt and stood firm, admitting out loud the reasoning that was going through his own mind. "It's been two years, Abby," he said quietly. "I need to know."

Abby searched his gaze and was surprised to see the flash of vulnerability that marred his features, gone almost before it began. She knew at that moment she'd be giving in, despite her misgivings.

"Okay, Bossman. Count me in."

"That's my girl," he affirmed, stopping long enough to kiss her cheek on his way out of the lab.

Her eyes followed him as he strode to the elevator, leaving her alone with her mechanical companions. She turned to Major Mass Spec. "And he calls himself an investigator? Tony would do anything for him. He should know that by now." She shook her head sadly and tried to ignore the hinky feeling in her stomach.

~0~

Gibbs had to give Abby credit – despite her initial reluctance to help with his plan, she jumped right in the minute Tony walked into the bullpen, commenting on how much she missed Burley and how cool Tony's predecessor had been. While Ducky joined the conversation with the Cricket commentary and his glowing opinion on Stan's athletic ability, Gibbs treated Abby to a warm smile as she leaned over and played with his keyboard. He shook his head slightly when he saw what she had typed – '_I still think this is a bad idea'. _But she didn't miss a beat, and he made a mental note to compliment her undercover skills the next time they had a minute alone.

When his two accomplices sidled off arm-in-arm, still bespeaking their mutual affection for the missing Stan Burley, Gibbs stood and grabbed his duffle. "Okay. C.O.D.'s waiting for us."

"C.O.D.?" Kate parroted, apparently unfamiliar with the military term.

"Carrier Onboard Delivery," Tony informed her before Gibbs could reply. Gibbs internally gave him credit – Tony had taken almost no time at all in learning the multitude of military acronyms when he'd joined NCIS.

Gibbs drove as they made their way to the airbase and their awaiting flight. Unsurprisingly, Tony and Kate were squabbling over some television series he had never seen and had no interest in, so he tuned them out with the ease of long experience. He was glad to see the two of them going at it. Kate had been a good addition to the team, and it was important to Gibbs that she and DiNozzo got along. She'd help keep the young agent on his toes.

Though it was nothing against Kate, Gibbs still found that he preferred the days when he and Tony had been a two-man team, not that he would ever admit that out loud. On the other hand, Gibbs never failed to be amazed at how his Senior Field Agent only seemed to improve his already impressive skills when there was a sense of competition. All Gibbs had to do was imply someone else might be better equipped for an assignment than Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, and suddenly, he was getting DiNozzo effort at one hundred and ten percent.

And while the bastard in him did enjoy the perks of putting DiNozzo into that position, that wasn't entirely what this little exercise was about. Tony had said it himself only last week . . .

_DiNozzo finished rattling off the specs on the cargo pod that contained the mummified remains of their Navy pilot, sounding distinctly like an owner's manual for an F-14. Gibbs would have complimented him if he hadn't come to expect such information from his younger team member._

"_I'm impressed," Kate said, with no hint of the sarcasm that often laced her comments._

"_Didn't become an NCIS agent yesterday, Kate," Tony replied, only a touch of smugness in his tone. "As a matter of fact, tomorrow . . ."_

"_It'll have been two years." Gibbs could have bit his tongue for finishing Tony's statement. He hadn't intended to let DiNozzo know he was keeping track._

"_Well, that's kind of touching, Gibbs – remembering the day you hired me." Tony made it sound like it was no big deal._

"_Yeah, well. Seemed like a good idea at the time." The put-down served a dual purpose. Not only would it force Tony to keep on his toes, it also deflected the agent from questioning why exactly Gibbs knew it was the anniversary of his hire._

_It was a day Gibbs had been dreading for more than six months. He, better than anyone, knew of Tony's job history and commitment issues. The longest the overgrown frat boy had stayed in any one area had been his four years at Ohio State, when for the first time in his life he'd found himself fitting in. Before and after that time, he'd never lasted anywhere more than two years._

Gibbs hated the thought that Tony's time at NCIS might be coming to an end. DiNozzo was more than just the best agent he'd worked with to date. He wasn't afraid to get in Gibbs' face when necessary, standing his ground for something he believed in, or calling him out when he thought Gibbs was wrong. There weren't many people in Gibbs' world that would do that for him. Most bowed to his force of personality out of fear or respect.

Trouble is, Gibbs only respected the ones who wouldn't bow to him.

Tony was one of those people. He was sharp, thorough, dedicated to the job and willing to take risks. He was a damn fine investigator, he excelled at undercover work and he made intuitive leaps that most others missed. He also had this uncanny ability to read Gibbs' mind and anticipate his needs before the older agent was even fully aware of them himself.

To lose any one of those things would be difficult enough. But over the past two years, Tony had also become a friend.

The younger man had simply wormed his way in under Gibbs' formidable defenses, refusing to be put off by the 'No Trespassing' sign Gibbs continually transmitted. He smiled at the insults and bounced right back for more, never taking to heart the attempts to put him off. In some ways, he was worse than a stray Golden Retriever – fiercely loyal and desperate for whatever scraps of attention Gibbs threw his way.

Gibbs wasn't ready to lose that. Not now, after he'd spent two years molding and shaping the younger man – and there was still work to be done. Tony could be the best there ever was if he had a few more of his rough edges sanded off. He was Gibbs' biggest project to date, and one he wasn't nearly finished with.

He knew odds were against Tony sticking around long enough to become the man Gibbs knew he could be. Which was why he was pushing him now. Six months of uncertainty on Gibbs' part was more than enough, so he made a plan that would likely prove him to be the bastard the spelling of his name designated. That uncertainty was why he was going to throw Burley into DiNozzo's face at every opportunity. If Tony was going to run, it should be enough of a catalyst. Gibbs was fairly certain he wouldn't; that Tony was made of tougher stuff than that. He hoped that this plan wouldn't backfire on him as Abby obviously feared. He hoped Tony would stay, even if Gibbs couldn't bring himself to ask him to.

But he needed to find out for sure.

~0~

Abby sat at her computer, her legs dangling off the stool, her chin held firmly on her hands with her elbows planted on the table in front of her. She was the picture of dejection as she stared at the image on the screen in front of her, the photo taken of Tony and her last Halloween. He'd gone Goth in her honor, dressed in full black, borrowing a collar and bracelets and even allowing her to go so far as to smear some of her dark eyeliner under his eyes. Gibbs had gone ballistic, and Tony had to change into his spare set of clothes before the team leader had gotten his second cup of coffee, but Abby had loved it and snapped a picture before the outfit had disappeared. It was one of her favorite photos, and she stared at it forlornly, hoping she wasn't right about this. She turned as she heard someone entering her lab.

The Caf-Pow! Ducky handed her was greatly appreciated with her normal supplier off on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean.

Ducky took in the picture at a glance, immediately guessing where Abby's thoughts had wandered. He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Still second-guessing this, my dear?" he asked softly.

Abby leaned into him, grateful for the support. "Can't help it. You know how insecure Tony can be."

Ducky nodded. "Indeed I do. I also know, and perhaps you do not, how insecure Jethro can be."

Abby looked at him in surprise. "Bossman? No way! He's not even a tiny bit insecure. He, like, exudes confidence. His picture is next to the definition in the dictionary."

"In most things, you are correct. However, personal relationships are a different wicket altogether. Of the people in his life, he has driven away far more than he has successfully retained. Three marriages, three ex-wives. Countless agents who couldn't cut it working for him, including Mister Burley himself, regardless of the fact that he lasted longer than most."

"I guess," Abby said as she thought about it. "Burley was here quite a while, but Gibbs never cared about him the way he cares about Tony."

"Exactly. But Burley's leaving was still difficult for Jethro, despite the fact that they weren't as close as he and Anthony are. In fact, if he hadn't had that case in Baltimore just a short time later where he and Anthony met, I imagine it would have been quite a while longer that he remained without a team. Can you imagine what will happen if he loses Tony?"

"So, what," Abby began, growing angry, "he's going to push Tony away too? He can't do that, Ducky! Tony's my friend!"

"And mine as well. Which is why we must hope, for all our sakes, that his ego is not as easily damaged as we both fear."

~0~

Gibbs had a moment's remorse for his plan as they walked to the waiting aircraft, so when Tony gave him an opportunity to make it up, he jumped in, joining as DiNozzo took it upon himself to teach Kate the finer points of navigating an aircraft carrier. He caught the gleam of appreciation in Tony's eye when he glanced over at him, knowing how much the young man enjoyed it when Gibbs let his playful side surface as long as Tony wasn't the one caught in the line of fire. Ganging up on their probie was a sure-fire way to boost Tony's spirits, and the two of them did their best to ensure Kate would find navigating the carrier as confusing as possible.

It was back down to business the minute the stepped on board the carrier. Stan was waiting for them on the deck, and Gibbs busied himself with their bags to avoid the possibility that his former agent might do the unthinkable and try to hug him. They stowed their flight suits and followed Stan through the corridors. He smiled as he overheard the conversation between Stan and Tony.

"You the one at my desk now?" Burley questioned.

Tony looked at him appraisingly. "That's right. Gibbs must have told you about me."

"Actually, no. Abby mentioned it in passing. Just assigned?"

"Two years."

"Really? Huh."

Gibbs turned long enough to see the two men giving each other the once over. He could almost see Tony's hackles rising, and he bit back a smile. Looked like Stan was on board with the plan as well, even if he didn't know a thing about it.

He had to give DiNozzo credit for sticking to business as they entered Stan's work area, but it was time to shake him up a little. He turned to Burley. "You're looking good, Stanley," he said truthfully, giving the other man an honest smile.

"Appreciate you coming, Boss."

Gibbs turned and caught the look of confusion on DiNozzo's face. "You waiting on something?" he asked shortly, clamping down on the voice within him that said he really was a bastard.

Tony's mask slid back in place in seconds. "No," he answered, already moving. "No, I'm gone."

Gibbs eyes followed him as he hustled off down the hallway, and he hoped to God that statement wasn't going to come true.

~0~

Tony tried not to take out his anger at Gibbs on the rack he was currently tossing, but it seemed to be a losing battle. He flung Shrewe's mattress to the floor and shoved the curtain to the side. He was looking for evidence of drug use, but all he could see was the smile on Gibbs' face while the older agent patted Wonder-boy Burley's cheek just because he'd gotten them a room to watch the flight deck tapes. Not once in two years had Gibbs given Tony that same look of pride. He could count on one hand the number of '_Good job, DiNozzo's'_ he'd gotten – and he'd probably have four fingers left over.

"Always anticipating, my ass," he muttered to himself, hoping none of the watching petty officers were close enough to hear the words. "If you've got a hundred hours of flight deck tapes to view, of course you're going to set up a place to watch 'em. Not exactly rocket science. Gibbs makes it sound like he invented sliced bread."

He pulled down a small plastic box and examined it without breaking his mental stride. "_I _anticipate. I do _more_ than anticipate – hell, I finish the man's sentences for him, but does that get me anywhere? No! I'd like to see Butterball Burley do that." He heard a change in breathing patterns and felt eyes digging into his back.

"Something I can help you with, Petty Officer?" he asked without turning to acknowledge the new arrival.

He went a few rounds with the enlisted man, pointing out the inconsistency in his claim that his crew didn't do drugs when two of them were currently in sickbay for overdosing on Meth. He came away the winner, but it didn't help him feel any better, and he stalked out of the compartment after completing the search and coming up empty.

Why the hell Gibbs thought Stan Burley walked on water was beyond him. It was like there was some sort of conspiracy going on to make Tony aware that he was failing to fill the shoes of the agent who'd walked his path before him. To make Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo aware that he wasn't so special after all.

Like he didn't already know that.

~0~

Gibbs stood in the ready room, eyes glued to the monitor, Stan at his side in the position that he'd come to think of as Tony's. He fought down the juvenile emotion that Burley didn't deserve to be there now.

They watched as the petty officer on screen danced around the flight deck just prior to his erratic behavior and subsequent collapse.

"Got ants in his pants?" Stan questioned the obvious.

"Question is, who put them there," Gibbs responded.

"Well, Rota was our last liberty port after we hit the Gulf."

"This tape was done before they hit Rota."

"Well, maybe they stocked up in Naples or Nice," Burley proposed.

"Is that the best you can do, Stan? After working under me for five years?" The question was rhetorical, but the disappointment was real.

Stan crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow. "Well, at least I don't taint evidence when I bag and tag," he retorted, smirking.

Gibbs irritation rose exponentially. If DiNozzo had made a comment like that, he'd have slapped him upside the head while trying to hide a smile. With Burley, it was just damn annoying. Stan never could tolerate the headslaps.

"I tripped," Gibbs pointed out. "One time."

"As I remember, it was because you had your eyes glued to some little . . ."

Now he was getting seriously pissed. "Do you mind if we get back to the tape here? We do have a job to do, remember?"

"I do, Boss," Burley agreed amiably.

Gibbs couldn't help but notice hearing those words just wasn't the same coming from Stan.

~0~

Kate hated to admit it, but it bothered her to see Tony hurting. She had no idea why Gibbs was being such a bastard to him, other than that he just was a bastard on general principle. This seemed worse somehow. It was almost like Gibbs was purposely shoving Burley in Tony's face, constantly comparing the two and making sure Tony knew he came up wanting. Though DiNozzo could be totally annoying and insanely irritating to her the majority of the time, there were also times he seemed to have this vulnerability about him. Just when she'd be ready to kill him for invading her privacy, he'd go and do something nice, like step in to deflect the wrath of Gibbs when it was directed her way.

She could see this was a big deal to him. In the short time she'd been a part of NCIS, it had become glaringly obvious that Tony had a pretty big case of hero worship going on where Gibbs was concerned. She'd have found it amusing if she hadn't also noticed that the two men were more alike than she'd have thought humanly possible. It was almost as if they were related, though she wasn't sure either man would willingly admit to the similarities between them.

And while it might be true that Tony had Gibbs up on a sort of pedestal, it wasn't worship from afar. In Tony's case, it was an honest desire to emulate someone he admired, almost the way a son looks up to his father. The profiler in her wondered what sort of home life Tony had come from, and what his relationship was like with his own dad.

When Gibbs made sure to rub it in that Stan was still watching the footage after eighteen hours before heading off to check on the Agent Afloat, she couldn't take it any longer. She had to say something.

"It's not the same thing, you know."

Tony, being Tony, played dumb. "What?"

"You and Gibbs . . . Burley and Gibbs."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"It was a different dynamic, you know? A different time. You can't compare the relationships."

Tony's body language immediately went defensive. "Who's comparing?"

"All I'm saying is that things on the surface are not always the same as when you put them in context with the way they actually developed. You know. Under the surface. Kind of."

The perplexed expression on Tony's face no doubt mirrored her own. "I have no idea what you said," he admitted honestly.

She smiled at him. "Neither do I," she confessed. "But the intent was sincere."

The honest grin she received from Tony made her glad she'd made the effort.

~0~

Tony tried not to let it throw him. Kate was being nice to him? Oh, God. It must be worse than he thought.

Not that he didn't appreciate her efforts. But if Gibbs' treatment of him was obvious enough for her to not only notice, but to comment on without her jumping all over him, then he couldn't just brush it off as a figment of his overactive imagination.

He'd been trying so hard to ignore it, that itch that started in the back of his mind right around this time, every time. Other people could hold onto a job. Other people could stay in one place for longer than two years. Why the hell couldn't he?

For a while, he'd really thought this was it. He'd felt like he fit, in a way he hadn't since he met his fraternity brothers. He was making himself a home at NCIS, finding himself a family to replace the one he'd never had. Abby was the first woman he'd known that he had been able to maintain a purely platonic relationship with, and he was closer to her than he'd ever been to another female. She was the little sister he'd never had, and he found himself looking forward to the hugs she bestowed upon him – something almost no one else had been allowed to do, and certainly not on a recurring basis.

Ducky was like some slightly eccentric uncle. Tony had quite a few of those, but Ducky was one he enjoyed spending time with, even if the older man could get rather long-winded at times. Verbose or not though, Ducky always had a way of making Tony feel welcome and wanted. He always saw the best in Tony and didn't hesitate to let him know that.

Though Kate was new to the team, Tony enjoyed their relationship much more than he'd done with Vivian. The back and forth banter, the give and take, even the one-upmanship always left Tony feeling good. It had never been that way with Blackadder. There had been an edge to her, and her comments were biting more often than not. With Kate, underneath it all, there was a mutual respect, even if they did their best to keep it hidden.

And Gibbs. Tony didn't quite know what role Gibbs played in his pseudo-family. Too young to be his father, even if he didn't know the man's exact age, Gibbs still filled a gaping hole that had been left in the life of young Anthony DiNozzo by the lack of his own father's involvement. Anthony DiNozzo Senior had been a busy man – far too busy to spend time with the son he'd wanted in name only, but not in practice.

When Tony's two-year anniversary had rolled around two weeks ago, he had thought maybe the curse was broken. He'd even thought about making the ultimate commitment, and retrieving the items he still kept in a storage unit, moving them into his apartment. There weren't many things – a few pieces of furniture, a blanket his grandmother had made for him, and an old trunk that was filled with precious few happy mementos of his childhood. A few pictures, his first baseball glove, his Matchbox collection. None of these items had ever made it to his apartments in Peoria, Philly or Baltimore. Tony knew it was superstitious, but he couldn't help it. Bringing everything home seemed too much like setting down roots, and he hadn't been sure he was ready to do that, to make that kind of commitment.

Now it looked like he might not get the chance.

~0~

To be continued . . .


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _Oh, now I've done it - I guess I was feeling evil today. Here I promised two chapters and an epilogue, and now it looks like there will be one more. Thought I'd post this to keep you all from forgetting about me in the meantime. Many, many thanks for all the reviews and alerts - I try to respond to each review personally, but for those whose PM feature was disabled, please know that I truly appreciate the feedback! I should probably have said that some bits of dialogue are taken directly from the episode, and I own nothing, gain nothing and intend no infringement.  
_

_And I broke my own vow to never post a story before it was finished. Shame on me. (Gibbs-slaps self)_

_Chapter Two_

~0~

Gibbs sighed. The trouble with attempting to challenge Tony by constantly reminding his senior agent of Burley's virtues was that Gibbs by default had to spend time with Burley himself. Burley keeping Gibbs waiting when they were supposed to meet in sickbay had been irritating enough. But when he started whining about the physical symptoms he experienced due to the stress of working with Gibbs again, Gibbs wanted nothing more, as his father had often said, than to give him a _real_ physical symptom to whine about. And when Burley grabbed his arm to get his point across, Gibbs gave him one of his patented glares.

Gibbs was not a touchy-feely kind of guy. Only his team had the right to encroach his personal space, and all but Abby used that right extremely sparingly. Burley no longer filled that definition.

The more time he spent with Stan, the more he appreciated what he had in his current Senior Field Agent. Hoping it wasn't a case of not knowing what you've got until it's gone, he headed back to the ready room to conference with Abby, keeping Stan with him so she wouldn't have an opportunity to ask him about how his plan was going. Because he wasn't sure he had an answer to give her.

When they met later in Burley's office compartment, DiNozzo had already broken out the drug testing kit. Gibbs comment about how DiNozzo had been with Baltimore PD before joining NCIS contained a note of pride, though he doubted any of the agents picked up on it. Still, he wanted to give Tony something of a boost after the way he'd been treating him.

It backfired a bit when Burley and Kate jumped in with questions about Tony's previous positions and how long he'd lasted at each of them. This was exactly the topic he'd been hoping to avoid. Damn Kate anyway for getting in DiNozzo's face and asking the one question he didn't want coming up, reminding him of his recent anniversary. He was glad that Tony stuck up for himself, but felt bad that the younger man had to.

Tony deflected the conversation away from his own history, turning to the Agent Afloat.

"What did you do before coming to NCIS, Burley?"

"Ah, just pushing papers around Washington."

"I'm sure it wasn't so bad," Tony consoled.

"How bad could being a Senator's Aide be?" Gibbs questioned. He hadn't meant it as a compliment. Lord knows Gibbs had little respect for politicians, or for those who did their dirty work for them. But from the way Kate's head whipped around, and the look Tony had worn, it had only raised Burley higher in their estimation. He pulled things back on track before they got any more out of hand, disappointed when the results showed no drugs in the capsules they'd gotten off Chief Petty Officer Reyes.

If he wasn't careful, he was going to have some serious damage control to do when they got back to D.C. Because the way it looked right now, the plan he'd formed was only serving to drive a wedge further between him and DiNozzo. At this point, he wouldn't be surprised to find the younger agent's letter of resignation on his desk.

And if that happened, Abby was going to kill him.

~0~

It had taken time, but they finally wrapped up the case, arresting Chief Petty Officer Reyes for supplying Methadone to his unknowing subordinates. Tony couldn't wait to get off this damn ship. Maybe once he got back on dry land, away from Golden-boy Burley, things could return to what passed for normal at NCIS. Or maybe he'd just pack up and start over. The idea was becoming more appealing as he walked behind Gibbs and Burley, not paying that much attention to their conversation until the two men stopped abruptly in front of him.

"Aw, hell, Stan. You going to go getting all huggy on me?" he heard Gibbs say, and he couldn't help a little smirk. He watched with a sense of envy as Gibbs offered the other agent a handshake, and he raised he face to the sky, overcome by jealousy and doing his best to keep anyone from seeing that emotion on his face. No more guessing. It was definitely time.

As Gibbs and Kate walked off, he decided to concede defeat. He turned to Burley. "You know, in the two years I've worked for Gibbs, he's never shaken my hand once? Never."

Burley felt for this agent who had replaced him. He wasn't under Gibbs thumb anymore, and he was glad for that, but Tony still was. The brown-haired man across from him not only seemed to like that fact, he thrived on it. Burley knew there was something between Gibbs and Tony that he'd never had, never could have hoped to have. And despite the natural sense of competition that had flowed between him and Tony, he thought it was about time to make the other man aware of that fact.

"I was in the office two years before he even looked me in the eye," he offered, watching Gibbs and Kate move towards the aircraft.

"Really?" Tony confirmed, following his gaze.

"Three years before he called me by name – four 'til he got it right. By then," he confided," I'd actually gotten used to Steve."

"Huh," Tony said, unable to hide his smile.

Stan returned the smile. He could do this for Tony. It was a pretty small gesture, and he thought the other agent deserved it, especially if he was in with Gibbs for the long haul.

"He must really like you," he observed. When Tony offered his hand with a simple 'thanks', Stan saw an openness and honest vulnerability in his counterpart that until now, he wasn't sure the brash young man possessed. It made him glad he'd taken the time to lift DiNozzo's spirits.

After all, he'd spoken nothing but the truth.

~0~

The dimness of the bullpen late at night was offset by the desk lamp on Tony's desk; the office quiet and peaceful. He always preferred working in this atmosphere, allowing an opportunity to focus on his work that wasn't available to him during daylight hours with the constant distractions that plagued him. Kate was at her own desk, putting together her report as he was, and Gibbs had disappeared shortly after they arrived back at the Navy yard at 1930 hours, no doubt in search of better coffee than he'd gotten on board the carrier.

Tony wrapped up his report and was waiting for it to print. His thoughts drifted back to what Burley had said. It had gone a long way toward easing some of the anxiety he'd been feeling over the way Gibbs had treated him during this case. Not that he wasn't used to Gibbs being a bastard, but sometimes it seemed like the man truly went out of his way to make Tony's life as miserable as possible.

Tony told himself he didn't need to be coddled. He didn't need to be constantly patted on the head and told he was doing a good job. But he sure as hell wouldn't mind hearing it every now and then. Growing up with a father who barely acknowledged him, let alone praised or complimented him, should have prepared him better for working under a supervisor who handed out compliments as if they were the queen's jewels. Still, Tony craved attention in any form, and it didn't take a psych major to see that need was surely based upon the neglect he'd been subjected to after the death of his mother.

If negative attention was the only attention he could get, he'd take it. But it didn't stop him from wishing things were different, that he was more of the man Gibbs wanted him to be. That he could manage to do things right, to impress the older man on occasion, instead of constantly being a disappointment. It was one of the things that kept him moving on from job to job. He had no doubt a psychiatrist would have a field day with Anthony DiNozzo. Thirty-two years old, and still looking for a father figure who would actually view him with approval instead of disdain. A tough-as-nails former marine who was a self-proclaimed bastard was hardly what most people would think of in that role, but it had worked for Tony. For two years anyway. After all, his expectations were pretty low in that regard. The fact that most days Gibbs even gave a damn whether Tony was alive or not was more than he could claim from his own father.

Lately, though, he'd begun to hope for a little more. He'd started to see the older man as someone who could be counted on, not just to watch his six in the field, but to turn to when things in his personal life went wrong. He'd made Gibbs his next of kin after only a few months at NCIS, mostly out of necessity, but there was a sense of belonging in that act that Tony wasn't ready to investigate. Gibbs was hardly the warm and fuzzy type, but he was still a friend, to a point. There wasn't anyone else Tony would have called when he needed a place to stay a few months back.

The past few days had seemed out of place to Tony. He'd thought more than once that Gibbs was going out of his way to make Tony jealous of Burley, and it had definitely worked. But if what Burley said was true, if he really hadn't had the kind of relationship with Gibbs that Tony shared with the older man, than Tony didn't really have anything to be jealous of.

The only thing he was certain of was that he was more confused than ever. More than likely, Gibbs was totally unaware of how his actions affected Tony. The team leader had more important things on his mind than Tony's insecurities, and Tony would be wise to just suck it up and deal with it. Just because Gibbs might not ever fit into whatever warped category Tony was trying to squeeze him into didn't mean Tony had to pack up and leave. Chances were, no one was ever going to be able to fill the role Tony spent most of his life seeking, especially since he hadn't totally defined the parameters himelf. Daddy DiNozzo might not give a damn about his son. And Gibbs might not ever care about Tony as anything more than a co-worker or team member. But it didn't mean he didn't care in his own way, and Tony would be stupid to toss that aside.

Feeling slightly reassured, he opened a browser window on his computer and typed in the address for the white pages. He hadn't made a decision whether or not to stay just yet. But at least he'd get the number of his moving and storage company. He'd keep it on hand, and maybe call them soon about getting the rest of his stuff delivered.

He had just finished jotting the number down on a scrap of paper when he heard a familiar squeal, and looked up to see Abby bearing down on him fast. He stood, preparing for the attack.

"Tony! You're back, you're back!" Abby vaulted herself at him, knowing he'd catch her.

Tony let out a grunt as all five feet ten inches of Goth landed squarely in his grasp. His arms automatically went round her as he returned her hug. "Hey, Abs."

"I _missed_ you! Like, really, really, _really_ missed you! It was way too quiet here. Only Ducky would pop up to my lab every now and then, but it's not the same you know. Plus, I think he was busy driving Gerald nuts with some incredibly long story about his mother, a woman named Edme and this road trip they took searching for antique shops in the middle of Oklahoma. All I know is that every time I saw Gerald, he had this sort of glazed look on his face." She paused for breath and pulled back to look him over. "So, how was your trip? Did you catch the bad guy?"

Tony released her willingly, grateful for the chance to draw in oxygen again. "Yeah, Abs, we caught him. And Kate survived her first time onboard a carrier with only getting lost, like what, seventeen times?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Funny, DiNozzo. At least I managed to get to Admin before you did." She gave him an overly saccharine smile, and turned to Abby. "He and Gibbs did their best to make sure I got lost as often as possible."

"Oh, hey Kate," Abby greeted, just now noticing the newest team member. She stepped out of the way as Tony walked past her to drop his printed report on Gibbs' desk. "Welcome back! So, what did you think? Was it cool? Any hot guys?"

Kate kept the smile on her face. "Well, Burley wasn't bad," she remarked, knowing it would get to Tony.

He rolled his eyes at her as he walked back to his desk. Noticing the scrap with the phone number on it had floated to the floor, he bent to retrieve it.

"Go home, people," Gibbs ordered, stalking in from the rear of the bullpen, fresh cup of coffee in his hand. "Kate, if your report's not done, you can finish it in the morning."

"Really?" Kate asked, surprised at being given a night's reprieve.

"It's been a long couple of days, and I need you people at one hundred percent tomorrow, so go home and get some sleep. We'll pick up at 0700. I want Reyes set up in interrogation by then." He moved behind his desk and picked up the report sitting in his inbox, before glancing up at Kate. "By the way, you did good out there," he casually commented, just then noticing Abby. "You too, Abs. Nice job on blowing up that security footage enough to see the capsule."

"Thanks, Gibbs!" She bounced under his compliments.

Tony straightened, paper held tightly in his hands, and looked over at Gibbs, almost as if he were expecting something. If Gibbs was passing out compliments, then maybe, just maybe . . .

Gibbs looked up, noticing for the first time that Tony was standing there, surprised the younger man hadn't already left. His eyes narrowed as he took in the expectant look on Tony's face. "You waiting on something, DiNozzo? Go home already."

The shutters fell over Tony's eyes as the hopeful light in them dimmed and finally went out altogether. He should have known better. He grabbed his pack and his jacket. "No, Gibbs. Not waiting. Not anymore," he added under his breath. "I'm outta here." He moved purposefully toward the elevators, but took the stairs instead. He had way too much energy to be caged inside a steel pen right now. He took the steps down two at a time, leaping the last four to the floor that opened onto the garage, and moved at a clipped pace towards his car.

He thought about driving aimlessly, but his 'vette seemed to sense his mood and automatically pointed herself towards home. Or the place where he currently resided, for however long that may be. Waiting on Gibbs to suddenly wake up and appreciate him seemed like a pretty stupid idea anyway. And despite what many might think, Anthony DiNozzo Junior was not as dumb as he let on.

He had his resignation letter from his previous positions already saved on his computer at home. Change the names, change the dates, and it would be good to go.

Just like Tony.

~0~

Kate couldn't believe her ears – Gibbs was actually complimenting her? And letting them go home before the I's were dotted and the T's were crossed? Wonders never cease.

She saw the way Abby lit up under Gibb's praise, and knew how much it meant to the lab technician. For whatever reason, Gibbs was always much freer with telling Abby she'd done a good job than the rest of them.

When Tony stood, she caught the hopeful look in his eyes, and something within her twisted. She wasn't used to seeing such honest emotion on DiNozzo's face, at least not when it was something that also showed vulnerability. But right now, he looked like nothing more than a kid wanting to be told he'd done well too. She fervently hoped that Gibbs would take this opportunity to make up for the crappy way he'd been treating Tony lately.

She kept her eyes glued to Tony's face, so she could see the exact moment that the disappointment registered. It was gone a split-second later, a careful mask of neutrality in its place as Gibbs comment hit home, and Tony grabbed his things. Her eyes trailed him as he headed out the door, and then she turned to Gibbs, ready to unleash her fury. How could he be so heartless, so uncaring? How could he be so blind?

"You really are a bastard, you know that?" Her voice was low and deadly serious.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, but otherwise kept his face impassive. "You have something to say, Agent Todd?"

The warning that came with the use of her title and surname did little to slow Kate down. Damn right she had something to say.

"Are you trying to make him quit? Is that it? Because if that's your plan, you're doing a hell of a job. Tony worked just as hard as the rest of us, despite the fact that you were shoving Burley in his face every chance you got. God, Gibbs, the things you said to him! Do you have any idea how much you were pushing his buttons?" She drew in a breath and paced agitatedly behind her desk. "Still, he hung in there, gave you his best and contributed to breaking the case every bit as much as Abby or I did. Would it have killed you to tell him he did a good job too?"

Gibbs rose from his desk, looking like he was ready to explode on Kate, but she stood her ground, willing to defend Tony in his absence. She was already making plans to head straight to his apartment, to see if she could talk him out of resigning. Before Gibbs had a chance to utter a word though, she heard a plaintive voice from behind Tony's desk.

"Gibbs?" The tremulousness in Abby's voice clearly revealed she was on the verge of tears, and the sound was enough to stop Gibbs in his tracks. Both he and Kate turned to look at the forensic scientist as she stood wringing her hands together.

"You said it would be okay. You said you wouldn't do anything to make Tony quit. What did you do, Gibbs? I know you said it needed to be done, but Gibbs . . . " she nearly broke, but held onto the tears brimming in her eyes with a fierce grip. Her disappointment in their team leader was plain to see.

It was no secret to anyone that Gibbs hated the sight of Abby's tears. Kate watched as his anger seemed to dissipate and he moved toward Abby's side.

"He's not quitting," he vowed, the tone of his voice betraying his absolute conviction of that fact. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

"But Gibbs . . ." Abby didn't finish her sentence, but merely pointed to Tony's computer, which still had the open browser window displaying the number for Meyers' Moving and Storage.

Gibbs' face hardened as he looked at the screen, and a muscle in his jaw twitched almost imperceptibly when he turned and looked toward the door Tony had recently disappeared through.

"You need to make this better, Gibbs," Abby implored him. "Go after him, and talk to him. Tell him you didn't mean it, okay?" Her agitation grew as she realized what the implications of Tony's stalking off might mean. "You can't let him quit. I _told_ you making him think Burley was so great was a bad idea!"

Kate felt as if she were no longer on the same page in the conversation. "Wait – you were doing that on purpose?" Her anger at her superior grew. "Why the hell would you do that, Gibbs?"

Gibbs rounded his desk, grabbing his gun, badge and car keys. "Save it, Kate." He turned and moved toward the elevator, forsaking it much the way Tony had done in his haste to get after the younger agent.

Kate was left watching him go, uncertain of what exactly was going on. She turned back to Abby, who appeared to be desperately trying to keep hold of her emotions. "Gibbs was doing all that on purpose? Trying to make Tony feel like he could never measure up to Burley?" She repeated her earlier question. "Why the hell would he do that?"

Abby took a deep trembling breath and walked over to Kate. "I'll tell you what I know, if you'll tell me what it was like onboard the ship, okay?"

Kate agreed readily, and turned to grab her chair. "Deal," she said.

~0~

To be continued . . .


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

Tony had calmed down fractionally after making the drive home. Driving always soothed his chaotic thoughts, there was no question about it. It was one of the reasons he cared so much about his car, because inanimate object or not, his baby had always been good to him.

He took the steps once he entered his building, not even bothering to check if the elevator was finally working. Keying into his apartment, he kicked his shoes off by the door and emptied his pockets of his wallet, keys and cell, dropping them all in the bowl on the table. He shouldered his duffle and backpack as he walked the hallway to his bedroom, dropping it on the floor to be dealt with later. The fading scent of lemon in the air told of a fairly recent visit by his cleaning lady, and he unconsciously worked not to leave a trail of clothing behind him, memories of Rosa, his parent's maid, and her good-natured grumbling during his childhood darting through his mind.

He changed quickly, donning sweats and a faded grey Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt, opting to remain barefoot. He tossed his clothes in the hamper and made his way out to the kitchen. Ordering a pizza, more for something to do than out of any real desire to eat, he dropped onto the couch, grabbing the remote and propping his feet up on the coffee table. He flipped through the channels without paying too much attention, settling on a movie he'd seen multiple times and could probably quote by heart.

He knew better than to try and process any of what he was feeling tonight. He was running on far too few hours of sleep to be able to give any justice to decision-making. Time onboard the carrier was spent in eighteen-hour days and nights of fitful sleep as the noise remained at a nearly deafening level. He was doing his best to shut down his thoughts until morning, even though they were attempting to break through the barriers he was erecting.

The sad part was that it didn't even really surprise him that Gibbs hadn't said anything positive to him during this case. It wasn't like he'd really done all that much to contribute anyway. Getting a compliment from Gibbs was kind of like winning the Daytona 500 – a lot of racing to get there, and it usually felt like you were just going in circles. Tony knew that Gibbs only gave him a verbal pat on the back when he'd done something truly stellar. Nothing he'd done on this last case had filled the bill for that, and he could accept that.

When the knock came on the door, he seriously thought about ignoring it. It was too soon for the pizza delivery, and he just didn't have the energy to deal with Abby right now. She'd already texted him five times since he left the office. Hearing the beep on his cell, he amended that number to six. He knew he should text her back or she'd never let up. More than likely she was already at his doorstep, and as much as he wanted to be alone right now, he couldn't do that to Abby. He dragged himself to his feet and shuffled towards the door, pulling it open, ready to gently but firmly plead with his best friend to give him the night to mull things over before she tried pulling apart his brain.

Opening the door to see his boss standing there was the last thing he expected.

~0~

Gibbs swore as he whipped his vehicle around the driver directly in front of him. He couldn't believe the idiots they'd give a license to these days. He swerved back into the lane and pressed his foot further down on the accelerator, seeing the sign for DiNozzo's exit just ahead.

He didn't need this right now. He honestly hadn't seen DiNozzo there when he'd been handing out compliments. By the time Gibbs had noticed Tony's presence, the moment had passed. To give him an 'atta-boy' at that point would have been meaningless – something done just because it was expected after complimenting the others. And truthfully, he didn't want to compliment Tony as an afterthought. Tony deserved more than that.

But while he was being truthful with himself, he'd have to admit that the way the younger man had stalked out of the bullpen had pissed him off. It only seemed to prove to Gibbs what he had expected all along – that DiNozzo's warranty was up; that he was over his expiration date. The two-year curse Tony had been under hadn't been broken after all.

Damn it. That wasn't the way things were supposed to happen. Gibbs had come to expect more from Tony. He'd come to expect that Tony would always be on his six. That the younger man had what it took to stand up to him and come back for more. That whatever friendship they'd managed to carve out was enough to keep his Senior Field Agent from moving on. That working with _him _was enough to settle Tony's pervasive case of wanderlust. They fit, in a way that Gibbs hadn't experienced with anyone he'd worked with before.

Finding out he'd been wrong about Tony being able to stick it out hurt. Though it seemed it wasn't the lack of a 'Good job, DiNozzo' that had been the final straw, and that disturbed him even more. Tony had already had that phone number pulled up on his screen before Gibbs even came back to the bullpen. Which meant that he'd already been planning his move. Apparently Tony couldn't cut it when faced with the realization that someone else might have been just as good at his job as he was.

Except Gibbs knew the truth. In the five years he'd worked under Gibbs, Stan Burley hadn't come anywhere close to being the agent Anthony DiNozzo already was.

Gibbs sighed, torn between anger and disappointment. As much as he hated to admit it, Kate and Abby had been right. He _had_ been pushing all of Tony's buttons. He knew DiNozzo battled insecurity, but that hadn't stopped him from constantly comparing the two agents in a way that probably left no doubt in Tony's mind that he came up wanting. He knew it was a lousy thing to do, but it was still the only thing he could think of to challenge Tony enough to the point where the younger man would be forced to choose whether or not he was in this for the long haul.

He pulled into an empty space in the lot of Tony's building, following an older woman as she used her key to enter the lobby. He took the stairs, not even sure if the elevator was working and not interested in waiting long enough for it to come.

He knocked on the apartment door, resisting the urge to give in to pounding it only in deference to Tony's neighbors. He waited, his patience already almost gone, though it wasn't long before he heard shuffling noises within. When DiNozzo opened the door, Gibbs shouldered past him, not waiting for an invitation that might not come, his long coat billowing behind him like a cape. He turned on the younger man the moment he was inside.

Tony narrowed his eyes at the same time he raised his eyebrow, giving a look that would have put dread into any suspect they had in interrogation, but Gibbs looked steadily back without blinking, neither of them saying anything.

Tony caved first, as they both knew he would, and asked the only thing he could think of that would bring Gibbs to his apartment.

"We get another case?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes, not even bothering to answer. His emotions were churning, the anger and disappointment, and yes, even hurt he felt over Tony's abandoning them warring for control. As usual, he focused on the anger. It was always his safest choice. He glared at the younger man and said the first thing that popped into his mind.

"You got another job lined up, or are you just planning to wing it? Maybe touch base with Daddy and see if you can skate on his coat tails for a bit?"

Tony's overly tired brain tried its best to comprehend the question he was being asked, but for the life of him, he couldn't. He filtered out the part about his father without even acknowledging it as he worked to process the rest. No matter how he tried to make it fit, there was only one conclusion he could come to, and it hurt like hell.

"You're firing me?" His voice rose as his disbelief increased. "You're _firing_ me? You _son-of-a-bitch!" _he yelled. "What the hell for?" Tony turned, moving deeper into the apartment where he paced in frustration, running a hand repeatedly through his hair. "Let me guess – gross incompetence, right? You finally had enough of me screwing up all the time? Got sick and tired of trying to make due with an agent who couldn't carry his own weight, never mind be responsible for any other team members? Because really, let's face it, we both knew the likelihood of a street cop with a Phys. Ed. Degree becoming a decent federal agent was pretty dim to begin with.

"I mean, you already put up with me for two years. Not like I could expect anything else. Hell, my chief in Philly couldn't even manage eighteen months before he tossed my worthless ass out on the streets." Tony kept pacing, constantly moving, anything to keep from concentrating on the feeling that was growing in his chest, the pressure, but, God, it _hurt._ He should have known. He _had _known. He'd known it wouldn't last, but he had hoped to get the chance to move on himself before the other shoe dropped, before Gibbs finally bought a clue about the real Anthony DiNozzo Junior. But he'd left it too late, and now Gibbs was kicking him out. Just like everyone else in his life who had ever mattered. Just like . . .

His mind clamped down on the thought of his father, refusing to allow it to exist out of a hopeless sense of self-preservation, and Tony went back on the defensive again. "So what happened? Did Burley decide he wants his old desk back? And hey, why the hell would you put up with a cheap imitation like me when you could have the real deal? Not like I blame you. Not like –"

"HEY!" The single word was barked out with enough force to stop a freight train, and it had just the effect Gibbs desired. He had watched in mild astonishment as Tony nearly self-destructed in front of him, the words spewing from his mouth filled with self-loathing, and in that moment, Gibbs had truly hated himself for driving his agent to this state. Abby had been right; his plan had been stupid. He knew DiNozzo well enough to know that the younger man's insecurities would be running rampant when faced with the reality of Burley, but he had ignored that fact in favor of his own need to know for certain if Tony was around to stay. So he'd pushed, but all he'd succeeded in doing was pushing him away. He had to fix this, and he had to fix it now. He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts in the ensuring silence, and decided to start with the obvious first.

"You're not being fired." The statement was quiet, and he held Tony's eyes, willing the words to sink in past the state the other man was in at the moment. He saw the moment they did, watched the anger and disappointment DiNozzo was feeling in himself as it was replaced with confusion and uncertainty.

"But . . . you said . . ."

"I asked if you had another job lined up. I never said I was firing you," Gibbs clarified.

Tony obviously didn't see it any differently. "I don't understand."

"I wasn't firing you, DiNozzo," Gibbs stated again, a touch of exasperation in his voice, "I was asking you if you were quitting."

"Oh."

Gibbs gut twisted when Tony offered nothing more, made no attempt to immediately laugh it off and say, _'of course not, Gibbs why the hell would I be quitting?'_ He waiting, hoping the other man would offer the reassurance he needed, knowing it wasn't going to happen unless he posed the question directly to him. He bit down on his reluctance and gave voice to his thoughts.

"So, are you?"

The question hung out there, and Tony dropped his eyes. He didn't want to be faced with this choice right now, not when he knew he was in no shape to deal with it, but this was it. This was his chance to make a clean break of it, to leave before he got left. Just because Gibbs wasn't firing him now didn't mean he wouldn't some time in the future. It would be easiest to do it now, he told himself, to just leave before he got himself in any deeper. It would hurt less to be the one making the break.

Trouble was he didn't want to. That realization took him by surprise, and for a moment he felt like he'd been gut-punched. What he really, really wanted was to stay. NCIS had become home to him, something he hadn't had in a long time. And Gibbs, Abby, Ducky, even Kate – they had become the family he'd never really had. He'd never felt like that in any of the previous jobs he'd held. He didn't want to leave that. But still, he had to know, had to understand where Gibbs stood. Because if the past few days had been any sort of example, maybe he didn't have much left to hold on to.

"What about Burley?" he asked, his tone far more serious than he would have liked.

"Burley?" Gibbs questioned. "What the hell does he have to do with whether or not you're leaving?"

Tony mentally rolled his eyes. Only Gibbs could be that obtuse. Burley had _everything_ to do with it. "He wants his old job back, right?"

"Who the hell cares what Burley wants? The position's filled," he stated with conviction.

Tony looked at Gibbs in amazement. "But it's Burley! The guy who can do no wrong! You telling me that if he said he wanted his old job back, you wouldn't give it to him?"

"Burley is a schmuck," Gibbs stated, as if that were obvious.

Tony felt his jaw drop. "Say that again?"

Gibbs shook his head silently, unwilling to comply. "You ever known me to repeat myself?"

"Not usually, no." Tony fell silent as he pondered the revelation. "He's a schmuck?" He looked to Gibbs for confirmation. Though the older man said nothing, Tony could see the truth in his face. "Then, why?"

Gibbs bit back a sigh. "Why what?"

Tony rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, trying not to feel embarrassed about his uncertainty. Maybe it had all been in his head. But Kate had seen it too. Even Burley had been trying to boost his spirits at the end. It sure as hell had seemed like Gibbs had been comparing the two of them over the past few days, but to actually call the older man on it seemed kind of juvenile. Still, he knew he'd always wonder if he didn't ask now.

"It just seemed like . . . never mind." He couldn't do it. Putting it into words made it sound petty.

Instead, Tony stared at Gibbs, trying once again to get inside the older man's head, wondering why he'd felt the need to pit Tony against Burley so often during this last case. The answer came to him in a moment of startling clarity. "You were testing me," he stated in a voice filled with awe and a bit of irritation.

Gibbs held his ground firmly, refusing to give in to the feeling that he was a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but it was pointless. DiNozzo already possessed the uncanny ability to read his mind, and he knew the younger man had latched onto the truth, though he refused to confirm it.

"Why, Gibbs? You just thought that maybe I needed to prove myself a little bit more? That working ninety-hour weeks wasn't enough for you? That for some reason I needed to try just a little bit harder?"

Tony's voice was increasing again, and Gibbs knew he needed to stop this before it escalated back out of control. "You never needed to prove what I already knew. I just wanted you to prove you weren't going to leave."

Tony looked at him incredulously. "And you thought the best way to get me not to leave was to make me want to quit?"

Now Gibbs did look away. "Yeah, well. Abby kind of warned me it wasn't my best plan."

"Abby was in on this?" Tony asked, the betrayal clear in his voice.

"No," Gibbs stated firmly. "This was my idea alone. She and Ducky did everything they could to talk me out of it."

Tony felt the wind go out of his sails, and he dropped down onto the recliner behind him, his head in his hands. The thought that Abby and Ducky both knew was equal parts disappointing and humiliating, and he tried to wrap his head around it, before deciding it really didn't matter. "So you really were doing it on purpose? Making Burley seem like the Boy Wonder just because you couldn't come out and ask if I was going to stick around?"

Gibbs defended himself even though he really didn't have a leg to stand on. "If I had asked, would you have given me a straight answer?"

Tony lifted his head and looked directly into Gibbs' blue eyes. "I've never lied to you," he said firmly, hurt that Gibbs would think otherwise.

"I know that, DiNozzo," Gibbs capitulated. "But would you even have known the answer yourself?"

Tony went back to staring at his hands. Gibbs had a point. He hadn't known the answer. Wasn't sure even now whether he'd be leaving or staying. He was so tired he couldn't think straight, and he was so afraid to make a decision right now.

"I don't want to screw up again," he stated, unaware that he'd spoken aloud.

Gibbs jumped on that statement. He'd had enough, and it was time to end this. Now.

"You are _not_ a screw up, DiNozzo. Yeah, okay, sometimes your methods are a little - unorthodox - but you get the job done. You see things others miss, and you never give anything less than your all. I have never _once_ worried about any situation we've gotten into when you've been on my six, because I _know_ you've got my back. You're my Senior Field Agent because I _chose_ you to be. You're a damn good federal agent, and I'm glad you're on my team."

Tony sat in stunned silence as he felt the words wash over him. They were possibly more words than Gibbs ever uttered in one sitting, and the fact that they were full of praise was not lost on DiNozzo. He knew how hard it was for the older man to be so forthcoming, and that Gibbs was making that effort solely for Tony's sake.

The words were everything he'd hoped to hear for two long years. Hell, they were ones he'd wanted to hear since he was twelve years old and being shipped off to boarding school by a father who couldn't give a damn. That hurt was old, well-worn and possibly unable to be healed. But the newer hurts, the ones inflicted over the past few days – even ones that had plagued him since starting at NCIS – the words wrapped around them and carried them off as if they had never existed. For once, Gibbs had been straight with him and given him what he'd needed without following it up with a well-aimed put-down.

He knew it would probably be a cold day in hell before he heard such things from his normally taciturn boss again, but that didn't seem to matter much now. Because Gibbs had never lied to him either, and now he knew, and no one could take that knowledge away from him. He let a small, honest smile escape. "Can't tell you how much I wish I had a tape recorder in my pocket, Boss."

Gibbs snorted, glad to release some of the discomfort his little speech had brought on. "You'd need one. No way in hell anybody would believe I said any of that."

Tony laughed surprisingly easily. "Yeah, well, that's just as well. If it's all the same to you, maybe we could just keep it our little secret? Wouldn't want the other kiddos getting jealous." Tony knew Gibbs would let the little white lie slide. He was pretty sure Gibbs would prefer this not get out for other reasons, but Tony simply didn't want to share the magnitude of this moment with anyone else. It would only serve to cheapen it. No, he'd rather keep it to himself, to be pulled out in moments of self-doubt, as a reminder that someone whose judgment he respected more than anyone else's actually thought he was worth something.

Gibbs held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No argument here."

Tony's grin grew. "Your reputation as a bastard is safe in my hands, Gibbs."

Gibbs looked intently at DiNozzo and knew his words had gone a long way toward repairing the damage he'd unintentionally created. He could see Tony tottering on the brink of a decision, and knew there was only one thing needed to ensure the younger man wouldn't leave.

"Stay," he said simply.

Not quite a request, not quite a command, but a little of both. His eyes locked onto Tony's as he quietly spoke again. "Prove them wrong. Burley's held the record for being with me the longest. You break it," he challenged. He had no doubt that before Tony reached the five-year mark with Gibbs, the young agent would be more than ready for a team of his own, but he'd deal with that when the time came. In the meantime, if a challenge was what was needed to keep DiNozzo around, then Gibbs would give it to him. He watched as Tony's chin lifted, as the light of determination settled in the green eyes, and he smiled to himself at Tony's next words.

"On it, Boss."

The knock at the door sounded harshly in the ensuing silence, and Gibbs looked to Tony. "You expecting company?" he asked, glad he hadn't taken off his coat. If it was one of DiNozzo's nubile young female friends, he wanted to be able to make a quick exit.

"Pizza," Tony stated, pushing himself up and heading for the entryway, grabbing his wallet out of the bowl. "You want some?" he offered, pulling open the door.

"Tony!" Abby burst through the opening and straight into Tony's arms, nearly knocking him to the floor. Only Gibbs' steadying hand at his back kept him on his feet. For the second time that night, Tony found himself entangled up with Abby as she held onto him for all he was worth.

"Oh my God, Tony, please don't quit! Please don't quit, please don't quit," she chanted as if it were a mantra. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. We didn't mean it! Gibbs was just kind of freaking out about you nearly leaving; well, at least the possibility that you might because it's been two years and you never stay anywhere longer than two years; well, except here, because we're, like, your family and you'd never leave us, only Gibbs didn't know that, even though he should have, but you know how he gets, because he worries. He totally worries about us, maybe even you most of all, 'cause you kinda get into trouble a lot, but he worries about all of us, even if he'd never admit it, because we're kind like his family too, and he . . . "

Gibbs moved his hand off Tony's shoulder, giving a barely noticeable squeeze, and cleared his throat loudly, pleased when he saw Abby open her tightly shut eyes and turn her startled gaze towards him.

"Gibbs! Oh! Um – hi. Didn't, um, you know, see you there." She bit her lipstick-blackened lip.

"Abs," he said, offering nothing more in greeting.

She looked at him imploringly, before plastering herself all over Tony once again. "Tell him, Gibbs! Tell him you didn't mean it! Tell him that Stan Burley's got nothing on Anthony DiNozzo! Tell him he has to stay. Tell him that he can't quit!"

"Abs!" Gibbs said loudly, hoping to break into his forensic scientist's incessant jabbering. He waited while she paused for breath. "He's not quitting."

"I know, you said that before, Gibbs, but just because you say he's not quitting doesn't mean he's really, really not quitting. Tony's the one who needs to tell me he's not quitting, because I won't believe it unless he says it!"

"Mppmf mprjf mpttg."

"What?"

"Let him breathe, Abby."

She immediately released her grip around Tony's neck. "Oh! Sorry!"

Tony drew a deep breath through his newly released airway. "I'm not quitting, Abs."

She went completely still, framing his face in both her hands and staring intently into his eyes, searching for the truth. "Pinky swear?" she asked solemnly, holding up her right pinky.

Tony linked his finger with hers, squeezing tightly as he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Pinky swear," he whispered into her ear as he pulled away.

"Yay! Tony's not quitting!" She made to hug him again, before Tony grabbed her wrists and held them between them in self-defense. She bounced happily up and down on her platform boots.

Gibbs moved around the two of them, having noticed the bemused pizza-delivery boy standing in the open doorway, openly gaping at the spectacle in front of him. Glaring at the dark-haired youth, Gibbs pulled out his wallet, handing the boy a twenty and grabbing the pizza before firmly shutting the door on him. He carried the meal into the kitchen, listening as Tony finally settled Abby down to a thirty-decibel level. He heard the two of them continue to speak in quiet whispers for a few minutes, confident that they would be able to resolve things between them to the point where Abby might actually forgive Gibbs for the mess his plan had nearly created. When they followed him into the kitchen a few moments later with Abby beaming as she remained wrapped around Tony's arm before she stepped over to hug her boss, he knew he'd been right. He pulled out an extra plate.

"Going, or staying for pizza?" Tony asked her, more than willing to share.

"Pass up a chance to hang out with my two favorite guys? No way! Bring it on. Only, I've got to call Kate. And Ducky. They were both kind of worried too."

"Yeah?" Tony asked, almost shyly.

"Of course, my little buckaroo! In fact, they should be up any minute. Kate's just parking the car."

"They're here?" Tony asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah. I wasn't sure how things were over here, so I brought backup. You know. Just in case you and Gibbs tried to kill each other. And Kate insisted on bringing pizza. As if that would ever be enough to bribe you to stay." She grinned at him.

"Sausage, pepperoni and extra cheese?"

"Oh, yeah."

Tony grinned back at her. He reached into the fridge and pulled out a six-pack, knowing there was only one more thing to take care of.

"Hey, Boss, you got any plans on Saturday?"

Gibbs hesitated before answering, wanting details before committing himself. "What did you have in mind?"

"I was hoping you and your truck could give me a hand. I've got some stuff to get out of my storage unit over at Meyers'. No sense paying fees when I can bring everything home, you know?"

The word 'home' caught Gibbs' attention, and he knew at once that this was not the casual question it seemed. DiNozzo was not only offering Gibbs a chance to redeem himself, he was pointing out to the older man that the challenge that had been put forth was still forefront in his mind.

Burley had lasted five long years with Gibbs. Tony only had two in. So far. But it appeared the younger agent had set his mind to the task, and as Gibbs had learned from past experience, Anthony DiNozzo was nothing if not determined to see the job finished.

In Gibbs' mind, it was a done-deal - the record was already broken. They were just waiting on the calendar to catch up. He took a beer from the pack on the table and opened it, taking a long draw. "Makes sense to me."

~0~

A/N: HUGE, HUGE apologies for the long delay - that was never my intention, but I was stuck in the land of no internet for a week (Down in inner-city Philadelphia, actually - gave me lots of insight into what DiNozzo's career must have been like pre-NCIS.) Only a brief epilogue to go after this - should be up by the end of this week. Thanks again for the many reviews and alerts and for all those who stuck around to see this finished - your support means the world to me!


	4. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

_A/N: First part takes place during 'Sub Rosa'. Beginning conversation taken directly from episode. No copyright infringement intended._

~0~

"What is this, Victorian England?"

Kate turned on them the moment Tony and Gibbs exited the building that housed the Submarine Squadron Commander's office. Gibbs knew that hearing Captain Veitch state that submarines were no place for women had done more to ruffle her feathers than he could do on his best day. He took note of her tightly crossed arms and the twitch in her jaw as she continued speaking.

"The men with their cigars and brandy while the women sip tea in another room? _I'm _more qualified for this investigation than Tony." She fought and failed to keep the smugness out of her voice. "To replace me because I shave my legs and not my face is unconscionable and certainly not in the best interest of the case."

Gibbs turned away from her, hiding the rolling his eyes_._ Women. Another example of why he had three ex-wives. "You claustrophobic?" he asked without preamble.

Kate looked at him in confusion. "No."

"Good," he offered, purposefully walking away and missing the look of delight on his newest agent's face.

"I'm going?" It was hard to keep the pleased disbelief out of her voice.

Tony came shoulder to shoulder with her, polishing his sunglasses with his tie in an air of studied nonchalance. He offered her a smile. "Don't forget to wax."

He didn't wait for a reply, but hustled on to catch up with Gibbs, coming abreast of his team leader as he walked off toward the parking area.

Gibbs glanced at him without turning his head. "You get why I'm taking Kate instead, don't you?" Not one to usually explain his actions, the effect of recent events was still far too fresh in his mind to want to leave it to chance that Tony might think Gibbs was once again comparing him to another agent.

"Sure," DiNozzo said simply, and there was absolutely no guile in his tone. "You want a woman on board to throw everybody off. Makes it more likely the suspect will trip up. I gotcha, Boss."

Gibbs couldn't help but feel pride in Tony's straightforward answer and the way that, once again, they were completely on the same page in an investigation. He nodded slowly, knowing the words weren't necessary, but saying them anyway. "Atta-boy, Tony."

The way the younger man's face lit up made him glad he'd made the effort. He really should try to do that more often. His gaze shifted to where they'd left the car, and he thought of something else. "Besides, I want you to stay here and coordinate with McGee out of Norfolk."

If Gibbs had thought Tony's face lit up before, now it was positively blazing, and he could easily read the gleam in the younger agent's eyes. Fearing slightly for the extremely green probationary agent, he couldn't help but take pleasure in Tony's obvious delight at the hours of torment he could inflict on the young MIT grad. He shook his head almost indulgently before tossing out a gentle warning. "McGee could have promise, DiNozzo. No making him quit." He reached into his pocket, searching for the keys as DiNozzo joined him by the driver's side door.

"No making him quit, Boss, promise. But if I only make him _want _to quit, does that count? 'Cause you know it's not the same as him actually quitting, and . . ."

The head smack seemed to come out of nowhere, the noise resounding in the nearly empty lot. Gibbs waited for the words he knew were coming.

"Gotcha, Boss."

The corner of his mouth turned up as he effortlessly caught the keys DiNozzo tossed him, and before he climbed behind the wheel, he started to whistle.

~0~

_Epilogue to the Epilogue – Post 'Agent Afloat'_

Tony released his grip on Abby, but kept her close as he listened to her update him on Sister Rosita's bowling score and the movies she'd watched without him while he'd been stuck on that damn ship. He gave up on trying to get into the conversation and just let her words wash over him, filling him with a sense of peace and a feeling of having come home.

It had been a long haul, and there had been too many nights that he'd wondered if he'd make it, but the minute he'd walked off the elevator, he'd known. There was no doubt left. This _was_ home.

Much of that had to do with the silver-haired man standing across the way, and Tony thought back to the challenge that Gibbs had given him so many years ago. At first, when the date rolled around, he wondered if he were the only one who had remembered, since his five-year anniversary with NCIS had garnered little fanfare, save a bouquet of black roses from Abby and a card from Ducky. He'd tried not to be too disappointed, especially since he was just glad to have Gibbs back from Mexico without the more-than-disturbing mustache. He simply chalked it up to some lingering memory loss and did his best to forget about it. Which is why he was more than surprised when Gibbs showed up on his doorstep a month and half later, sporting a bottle of Dom Perignon and two champagne flutes.

"_Boss?" he questioned, letting Gibbs into his apartment and watching as the older man shrugged out of his coat and hung it on the hook. Gibbs picked up the bottle and glasses and moved into the living room without comment, making Tony nervous._

"_Please tell me you didn't go and get engaged again," Tony blurted out, then winced._

_Gibbs leveled him with a glare before rolling his eyes. "No, I didn't get engaged."_

"_Then what's with the bubbly?"_

"_Anniversary."_

"_Really? 'Cause no offense, Boss, but I didn't think you usually viewed them as occasions for celebration. What with the whole ex-wife thing."_

"_You think DiNozzo?" He popped the cork on the champagne and poured an equal amount into the two glasses, handing one to Tony. "Not my anniversary," he explained. "It's yours."_

"_Um, actually," Tony hesitated, not sure he wanted to bring up Gibbs' apparently faulty memory._

"_You remember Burley?" Gibbs asked, interrupting._

_Tony tensed, still feeling the pangs of jealousy after all these years. "Kind of hard to forget him," he admitted._

"_Burley worked for me for exactly five years, one month and twelve days," he continued, as if Tony hadn't spoken, waiting a beat. "Know what today is?"_

_Tony grinned as he recognized the significance, but kept silent._

_Gibbs raised his glass in a salute to the younger agent. "Here's to five years, one month and thirteen days."_

_Tony clinked his glass with the man he'd come to see as so much more than just his boss. "I'll drink to that."_

Now, as Abby babbled on next to him, he looked up and saw Gibbs watching him, a look of intense pride on his face as he offered Tony his hand.

As Tony stared back at Gibbs, he thought back to what he'd told Burley that day on the ship. Gibbs still had never once shaken his hand, not in all the years they'd been together. To be given that level of respect from the man he admired above all others was something he'd longed for far more often than he would admit.

He stretched out his hand, placing it in the warm grasp of his mentor, his friend.

It was worth the wait.

~0~

_End_


End file.
